At Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin, the birds are separated from visitors with only a 2-foot-high rock wall. An adjacent room gives guests an underwater view of the penguins' tank.

Written by

Sarah Sekula
| Special for USA Today

There's nothing quite like being among a huge colony of cold-weather penguins as they plunge into the water in fine torpedo-like fashion, waddle to and fro and chatter with one another. For starters: It's really noisy.

"If you listen close, each species has a different type of vocalization," says Mike Boos, vice president of zoological operations at SeaWorld Orlando.

Some make dolphin-style squeaks, others honk with gusto, and many let out sounds reminiscent of Chewbacca. On top of that, they are quite curious. "They all greet you in their own unique way," he says. "They just want to come ...